Earring constructed and arranged to clampingly engage the tragus and the anti-tragus



Feb. 18, 1958 I. M. CRIGLER 2,823,525

EARRING CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED T0 CLAMPINGLY ENGAGE THE TRAGUS AND THE ANTI-TRAGUS Filed Oct. 9. 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ILENE M. CRIGLER ATTORNEY Feb. 18, 1958 l. M. CRIGLER 2,823,525

EARRING CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO CLAMPINGLY ENGAGE THE TRAGUS AND THE ANEI-TRAGUS Filed Oct. 9. 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6 G- 7 INVENTOR ILENE. M. CRIGLER,

ATTORNEY Feb. 18, 1958 I. -M. CRIGLER 2,823,525

EARRING CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO CLAMPINGLY ENGAGE THE TRAGUs AND THE ANTI-TRAGUS Filed Oct. 9. 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG [I IN VENTOR ATTORNEY Feb. 18, 1958 1. M. CRIGLER 2,823,525

EARRING CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO CLAMPINGLY ENGAGE THE TRAGUS AND THE ANTI-TRAGUS Filed 001:. 9, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 24 5 FIG INVENTOR ILENE M. CRIGLER,

ATTORNEY EARRING CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO CLAMPINGLY ENGAGE THE TRAGUS AND THE ANTI-TRAGUS Ilene M. Crigler, Alexandria, Va.; John F. Crigler, administrator of said Ilene M. Crigler, deceased Application October 9, 1952, Serial No. 313,909

18 Claims. (Cl. 6314) This invention relates to improvements in earring construction, as the term "earring is used in its commonly accepted sense of designating a whole class of ear ornaments, and more particularly to an improved and eflective means for attaching an earring to the ear of a wearer.

As is well known, conventional earrings of the type which screw or clip to the lobe of the ear are notoriously lacking in security of attachment, with the result that unless attached with uncomfortable pressure, they are likely to drop from the ear and become lost or broken. When it is considered thatearrings are sold in matching pairs and that the loss of one earring usually destroys the wearability and/or worth of the other earring of the pair, this lack of security represents a serious disadvantage. Numerous suggestions to correct this difficulty have been advanced more or less recently but, speaking generally, such have not met with public acceptance for various reasons. For example, earrings which are attached by members inserted into the concha of the ear and whose ornament portion merely hangs from said members are in fact considerably less secured than the prior screw-on and clip-on types. When this basically hook-on form of attachment is supplemented by additional and usually unsightly means extending downwardly in front of and thence upwardly to the rear of the lobe, difliculties arise due to the fact that the anatomy of the external ear varies widely with different persons, so that this form of attachment usually requires that the earrings be more or less expertly fitted to the particular individual who is to wear them. Earrings which are secured by hooks which hook over the upper portion and extend rearwardly of the ear, in the manner of ear pieces of an eyeglass frame, are cumbersome, uncomfortable to wear, and lacking in the dainty appearance usually associated with earrings.

Broadly stated, the present invention contemplates and provides an improved earring construction which representsa novel approach to the problem of simply yet effectively securing an earring to the ear, characterized in that the improved earring construction incorporates attaching means which is so constructed and arranged as to achieve a high degree of security of attachment for the earring without any discomfort to the wearer, and at the same time as to position the ornament portion of the earring so that it supplies the maximum ornamental effect for the ear of the wearer. I

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to- United States PatentO 2,823,525 Patented Feb. 18, 1958 "ice so positioned that it serves to mask the more or less unsightly portion of the concha viewable through the intertragic notch. By providing the ornament portion with substantial vertical height, it may also serve to substantially or even completely mask the entire concha opening, and by suitable design, it may also extend in down ward direction to overlie the lateral or front surface of the ear lobe, thus to function more or less as the conventional lobe-attached earring.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of an earring construction employing a novel form of attachment for securing its ornament portion to the ear, which is based on and utilizes the structure of and the spacing between the tragus and the antitragus of the ear. In explanation, said ear parts, which are composed principally of cartilage, and hence are relatively strong and firm, extend laterally towards one another over the lower or "floor portion of the concha, more or less as upright mutually spaced flanges extending upwardly from a shelf or other rest member and thus they have lateral under surfaces as well as lateral outer or front surfaces.

" The attaching means of the invention utilizes these under and front surfaces as engaging surfaces for companion clamping members, and the spacing between said ear parts as provided by the intertragic notch (sometimes called intertragian notch) is utilized for the connecting means. extending between said clamping members. Said connecting means may take numerous forms, but,

the concha and to assume an upright position therein in which its side edge portions underlie the tragus and antitragus. The ornament portion may itself constitute the outer clamping member, or it may be formed separate from and attached to said outer clamping member, either permanently or detachably, by appropriate means.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of an earring construction incorporating improved attaching means as aforesaid and which is moreover extremely flexible as to the type and form of ornament portion. That is to say, the basic attaching means of the invention lends itself to the use of a wide variety of ornamental forms and styles of. ornament portion, as well as of the means for applying such forms. For example, and without limitation, the ornament portion may be permanently carried by said attaching means; or it may be detachable therefrom; or the ornament portion may be of the dis posable type such as a natural flower; or the ornament portion may take the form of a home-sewn ornament to match a particular dress or costume.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an earring construction incorporating ear-attaching or afiixing means of a character enabling the use of larger and/or heavier ear onaments than heretofore considered feasible. This desirable feature is made possible by forming the aforesaid inner member so that it rests on the floor or generally horizontal bottom surface of the concha and by disposing the aforesaid connecting means so that it positively engages and rests on the lower curved end edge of the intertragic notch. Thus, not only is a substantial portion of the weight of the ornament taken with comfort to the wearer by the concha floor and by the lower edge of the intertragic notch, but also the weight of the ornament causes the inner member to tend to tip or rock forwardly and thence to press firmly against the under surface of the tragus and antitragus, which surfaces accordingly take a further portion of the weight of the ornament. With the parts functioning as aforesaid, tightening of the aforesaid outer member of the attaching means of course results in a further portion of the weight of the ornament being taken by the tragus and antitragus proper, but principally in the earring as a whole being afiixed against accidental or unintentional dislodgement from the ear.

The above and other objects and features of advantage of an earring construction as herein proposed will appear from the following detailed description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings illustrating typical earring constructions embodying the principles of the present invention, wherein Figs. 1-10 are views illustrating various aspects and forms of one main type of earring construction of the invention, characterized in that the inner and outer clamping members are urged or drawn together by what may be termed screw means, of which Figs. 1 and 3 generally illustrate the manner and position of use thereof; Fig. 2 is a section taken through the connecting means extending between clamping members which illustrates the inner clamping member in use position; Fig. 4 is a section taken along line 44 of Fig. 3 illustrating the clamping action exercised by the companion clamping members; Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the earring construction illustrated in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a sectional view illustrating an alternate means of screwing the clamping members together; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a somewhat modified form of screw-on earring; Fig. 8 is a section taken along line 88 of Fig. 7; and Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate a modified form of inner clamping member;

Figs. 11-17 are views illustrating various aspects and forms of another main type of earring construction of the invention characterized in that the inner and outer clamping members are urged or drawn together by spring means, of which Fig. 11 is a rear elevation of an earring whose inner and outer clamping members are hingedly interconnected; Fig. 12 is a section taken along line 12--12 of Fig. 11; Figs. 13 and 14 are front and sectional views, respectively, of another form of earring construction, in which the inner and outer clamping members are connected solely by the spring means which draw them together; Fig. 15 is a side view of an earring construction incorporating the basic attaching means illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14 but in which the ornament portion may be of home-sewn type adapted to be secured to the outer clamping member by stitching; Fig. 16 is a separated view of another form of earring construction according to which the ornament portion constituting the outer clamping member is of the detachable type; Fig. 17 illustrates another variant according to which the ornament portion is detachable from the basic attaching structure; and

Figs. l826 are views illustrating various aspects and forms of another type of earring construction according to the invention, characterizedin that the clamping pressure required to clamp the inner and outer clamping members to the tragus and antitragus of the ear is supplied by the inherent resiliency of one or both of said members or of the connection therebetween, of which Figs. 18 and 19 are front and section views, respectively, of an earring construction molded in its entirety from plastic, rubber or similar material having inherent resiliency; Figs. 20 and- 21 are similar views illustrating an other form of earring construction in which the inner and outer clamping members are interconnected by a connecting member functioning as a spring leaf; Figs. 22, 23 and 24 are front, rear and sectional view respectively of a variant form wherein the inner and outer clamping members are interconnected by a flexible wire type of connection; and Figs. 25 and 26 are rear and section views respectively illustrating a variant of the Figs. 2224 form of invention.

As conducive to a proper understanding of the invention, it isn'oted that the tragus of the external ear is'thesmall pointed eminence projecting rearwardly over the meatus or opening to the external auditory canal, and that the antitragus is the generally opposite portion of the ear which consists of a small tubercule that projects forwardly towards the tragus and is separated therefrom by the so-called intertragic notch. Both the tragus and antitragus extend towards one another over the lower portion of the concha and thus provide laterally spaced under surfaces as well as laterally spaced front surfaces. I have discovered that the structure and spacing of the tragus and antitragus of the external car as explained above, taken with the fact that such car parts are constituted principally of cartilage and hence are relatively strong and firm, render them admirably suited to serve as spaced anchorage flanges for an earring or ear ornamznt, and also when an earring is attached thereto, its ornament portion not only provides the desirable ornamental effect given by conventional earrings but also serves to mask the more or less unsightly portion of the cocha of the car. In furtherance of this discovery, I have devised numerous forms of earring construction incorporating attaching means which attach to the tragus and antitragus as aforesaid, which will now be described in detail.

Referring first to the form of earring construction illustrated in Figs. l-5, such comprises an inner member 10, an outer member 11 which itself constitutes the ornament portion, and means for urging or drawing said members 10 and 11 towards one another, which illustratively comprises a screw 12 afiixed to and extending from the rear face of the outer member 11, and which threads into an internally threaded tubular post 13 projecting from the front face of the inner member. To prevent separation of the members 10 and 11, the inner end of the screw 12 may be peened radially outwardly, as indicated at 14, said peened end turning in the enlarged unthreaded bore portion 15 of the post 13.

As seen in Fig. 2, the inner member 10 has edge contour and transverse dimension enabling it to fit snugly into the lower portion of the concha. In its simplest form, said member may have the form of a generally circular disc or button of diameter such that, when inserted into the wider upper portion of the concha C and pressed downwardly with light pressure, it will rest on edge on the floor or horizontal bottom surface of the concha and wedge itself against the side walls of the concha lower portion, in which position its edge portions underlie the tragus T and the antitragus AT of the ear. Preferably, the inner member 10 is provided with an opening 10a so that when inserted into the concha C it does not interfere with the hearing of the wearer. As also seen in Fig. 2, the connecting means 12 15 between the inner and outer members is offset downwardly from the center of the inenr member 10 so as to pass through the lower end of the intertragic notch designated N and to assume a position therein such' that it is firmly located against the lower U-shaped edge thereof. It is to be understood that the inner member 10 may have other forms and contours than the disc or button form illustrated; for example, its side and bottom edges may be more or less exactly conformed to the side walls of the lower portion of the concha as by molding the inner member to the shape and contour of the concha of the ear of the individual person who is to wear the earring.

According to the invention, the inner and outer members 10 and 11 function as clamping members which clampingly receive the tragus and the antitragus in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4. This clamping action may be effected following insertion of the inner clamping member 10 into the concha to the position shown in Fig. 2, which results in the outer clamping member 11 being properly disposed forwardly of the tragus and antitragus, simply by turning the outer clamping member with respect to the inner clamping member in direction to draw said members together, i. e. by' screwing down the outer clamping member on thefixed inner clamping member. 7

It will be observed from Fig. 4 that the ornament portion constituting the outer clamping member 11 has adequate lateral dimension and a properly formed under surface as to bridge the intertragic notch N and to bear against the front or outer lateral surfaces of the tragus T and antitragus AT. Hence, by the simple operation of turning the ornament portion with respect to the inner clamping member 10, the earring is firmly yet comfortably attached to the ear of the wearer, and it moreover assumes a position in which it serves to mask the more or less unsightly lower portion of the concha, through which the meatus or opening to the auditory canal is usually viewable. It will be understood that the ornament portion 11 may have substantially greater vertical depth than that illustrated in Fig. 3; for example, vertical depth such that it substantially or entirely covers the opening to the concha. By extending the ornament portion downwardly, it may also serve to cover the lobe of the ear, in which case it functions more or less as to the conventional earring applied to the ear lobe.

The above described earring construction has the notable advantage, as compared to prior earrings, of supporting with comfort to the wearer not only a larger but also a heavier ornament portion than heretofore considered possible. This follows from the fact that the inner clamping member and the screw post 13 transmit a portion of the weight of the ornament portion to the floor of the concha C and to the upwardly facing curved lower edge of the intertragic notch 12, respectively. Moreover, since the pull or weight of the ornament portion acts to rock or tip the inner clamping member 10 forwardly (the aforesaid lower edge of the intertragic notch acting more or less as a fulcrum point) a further portion of the weight of the ornament is taken by and distributed over the under faces of the tragus and antitragus. Thus, rather than the weight of the ornament being taken solely by the tragus T and the antitragus AT, it is in effect much more widely distributed, to the extent that the outer clamping member 11 may function principally as an afiixing means.

Fig. 6 illustrates a variant form of screw means for drawing the inner and outer clamping members 10 and 11 together, which illustratively comprises a threaded post 17 fixed axially to the inner clamping member 10 so as to extend forwardly therefrom, and being mounted for turning movement with respect to said inner clamping member. The outer clamping member 11 (the ornament portion) is threaded on to the outer end of the post 17, which terminates in a knob-like enlargement 18 by which the post may be turned with respect to the inner clamping member. This form of earring may be attached following insertion of the inner clamping member 10 into the concha to a position illustrated in Fig. 2, and fitting of the ornament portion to the tragus and antitragus, simply by gripping the enlargement 18 and turning the post 17, such drawing the ornament portion towards the inner clamping portion 10, in turn resulting in the clamping of the earring as a whole to the tragus and antitragus, as shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to the Figs. 7 and 8 modification, such preferably employs an inner clamping member 10 as previously described, and an outer clamping member 20 to which the ornament portion 21 is permanently attached. It is a feature of this modification that the inner face of the outer clamping member 20 is provided with means which seat in the longitudinal depressions which extend generally downwardly from the tragus and downwardlyforwardly from the antitragus, and in the pronounced depression just below the curved end or U-portion of the intertragic notch. As seen in Fig. 8, such means comprises converging ribs 22, 23 which project from the inner face of the outer clamping member 20, and agenerally semispherical pimple or protruberance 24 disposed generally at the theoretical apex or meeting point of saidribs 22. 23. When the outer clamping member 20 (which 18 indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8) is placed fiush against the front lateral surfaces of thetragus and antitragus of the ear and properly oriented, it will be found that the ribs 22, 23 seat in the longitudinal depressions aforesaid, and that the protuberance 24 seats in the pronounced depression slightly below the lower end of the intertragic notch, with the result that the outer clamping member 20 and the ornament portion 21 carried thereby are prevented from turning, while at the same time the earring as a whole is snugly fitted to the ear anatomy adjacent the tragus and antitragus.

Figs. 9 and l0'illustrate a modified form of inner clamping member generally designated 26, which may be employed in place of the button or disc type inner member 10 as previously described. Illustratively, such consists of a length of springy wire, or a length of flexible wire formed by coiling fine wire on a flexible core, which is shaped so that it has arcuate or part-circular contour. Said wire is formed with a radius of curvature such that it is contracted slightly when inserted into the concha, with the result that in tending to expand to its unstressed state it exerts some lateral pressure against the lateral edge walls of the concha, serving to firmly seat the inner member therein. The forward'upper end 27 of the wire-type inner member 26 may be extended and angled out of the plane of its curved body so as to seat in the so-called incisura anterior, which is a small' depression appearing in most ear formations between the helix anterior and the upper terminal portion of the tragus known as the tuberculum supertragicum. Thus, with the wire-type inner claming member 26 inserted in the concha so that its angled end 27 is seated in theincis'ura anterior, as aforesaid, said member is not only firmly seated but its orientation is properly assured, since. it is held against any unintentional turning or canting movement. The wire-type inner member 26 is shown to be provided with an interiorly threaded tubular post 28 corresponding to the tubular post 13, 15, as shown in Fig. 5, providing for the reception of the connecting screw extending to the outer clamping member which may have any of the appropriate forms discussed above, but it may also mount a threaded post corresponding to the post 17 of the Fig. 6 modification.

Referring now to the variant forms of earring construction illustrated in Figs. 11-17, all of which'are characterized by the employment of spring, i. e.'ela'stic, means for drawing or urging the inner and outer clamping members together, the Figs. 11 and 12 form will first be discussed. Here the inner clamping member 30, which may have general disc-form as shown in Fig. 2, is hingedly connected by a hinge 31 to the upper region of the ornament portion 32, and which itself constitutes the outer clamping member. Preferably, the latter is, provided with a backing plate 33 to which the hinge 31 connects and, although said backing plate is shown to extend for only a small arc of the ornament portion, it may extend the full circumference thereof, in which case it would function more or less as outer clamping member to which the ornament portion is attached, similar to the member 20 (Fig. 7).

Said inner clamping member 30 and the ornament portion 32 are interconnected by elastic means, illustratively a coiled tension spring 34 having the same relative. position to the clamping members as the screw connections 12-15 and 17, 18 of the prior forms, that is to say, it is positioned so that when the earring is attached, the spring extends through the lower end of the inter-w tragic notch N. The described arrangement is such that when the inner clamping member 30 is properly inserted. into the concha and with the ornament portion 32 over-- lying the tragus and antitragus regions of the, ear, said parts are drawn together by the tension of the spring 34 whichis sufficient to snugly and, firmly clamp. the ear-.

7 ring as a whole to the tragus and antitragus, generally as illustrated in Fig. 4. p

The form of earring illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14 utilizes the elastic means for drawing the inner and outer clamping members together as the sole means for interconnecting said members. In this form, the inner clamping member 36 is shown to have the button or discform illustrated in Fig. 2, the outer clamping member 37 is provided by the ornament portion as shown, and said inner and outer clamping members are interconnected solely by the spring 38. Thus, the earring may be attached simply by spreading the inner and outer clamping members apart as required to permit the inner clamping member 36 to be inserted into the concha as previously described and to position the spring 38 to pass into the intertragic notch, and thereupon releasing the outer clamping member 37. Such results in the clamping members being drawn together by the spring 38 and in the clamping of said members to the tragus and antitragus of the ear, as previously described.

Whereas in all of the prior described forms the ornament portion is permanently attached to either of the inner and outer clamping members, the basic form of attaching means comprising inner and outer clamping members and means for drawing them together may also be employed in earring constructions wherein the ornament portion is detachable. Referring to Fig. 15, the inner clamping member 40 and the outer clamping member 41 are connected by the spring 42 which draws them together. The outer clamping member may take the form of a disc made from paper, plastic or other appropriate material having the required shaping, lateral width and stiffness enabling it to function as a clamping member, and it is preferably punched with a plurality of holes 41a arranged in a circular series. The ornament portion 43, which is preferably sewn to a backing 44, may be made from fabric or lace in a home-sewn operation to simulate an artificial flower, rosette, miniature oldfashioned bouquet, etc., and such may be simply secured to the outer clamping member 41 as by stitches passed through the holes 41a thereof. This arrangement is of particular advantage in that, using the same basic attaching means of the invention, numberless home-sewn ornament portions can be applied thereto, depending on the costume or individual taste or sewing ability of the wearer.

Fig. 16 illustrates another form of earring construction employing a detachable ornament portion, according to which there is provided an inner clamping member 45 corresponding to the prior described inner clamping members 36, 40, for example, and which mounts a spring 46 corresponding to the springs 38, 42. However, the free end of the spring is formed as a hook 47, with which an eye 48 extending rearwardly from an ornament portion 49 may be engaged. Said ornament portion may comprise an artificial flower attached to a backing 50, or it may comprise an artificial flower itself having suflicient stiffness and lateral width as to function as the outer clamping member of the assembly, or it may have rigid form of the requisite lateral width. Among such rigid forms may be noted ceramic flowers widely used in costume jewelry, novelty buttons, etc.

Fig. 17 illustrates another variant which combines some of the features of the Figs. and 16 forms employing the detachable ornament portion. Here the inner clamping member 52 may comprise a button or disc as previously described, and it mounts a spring 53 for drawing an outer clamping member 54 thereto with spring pressure. The outer clamping member may take numerous forms but, illustratively, it consists of a disc of trans parent sheet plastic material corresponding to the disc 41 or 50 of the Figs. 15 and 16 forms. The spring 53 not only secures the outer clamping member 54 with spring tension, but it also extends forwardly therefrom to form an eye 55. Said eye'provides forthe reception of a downwardly opening hook 56 projecting rearwardly from an ornament portion 57 which illustratively may comprise an artificial flower or, as shown, a miniature vase of the type used as a lapel decoration and which is adapted to receive a natural flower such as a miniature orchid. Such an arrangement permits the basic attaching structure 5254 to be clamped to the tragus and antitragus of the ear, all as previously described, following which the ornament portion 57 is hooked on to the spring eye 55, thus to dispose the flower component forwardly of and in a highly ornamental position with respectto the ear.

Referring now to Figs. 18-26 illustrating earring constructions characterized by the spring pressure required to clamp the earring to the tragus and antitragus of the car being supplied by the inherent resilience of either the clamping members and/or the connecting means therebetween, Figs. 18 and 19 illustrate an earring according to the invention molded from a plastic material, or from a rubber or a rubber-like material which, when molded, has self-sustaining form but is somewhat flexible and springy. The inner clamping member 60 is shaped generally as an impression of the lower portion of the concha, and includes in its formation laterally spaced wing portions 61, 62 which are somewhat more flexible than its body portion, said wings moreover extending on a flatter arc than the arc of the concha surfaces which extend forwardly to the under surfaces of the tragus and antitragus. This results in the said wing portions being flexed towards one another when the inner clamping member 60 is inserted into and pressed home in the lower portion of the concha. T hereupon, in tending to return to their unstressed state, the wing portions 61, 62 exert pressure in generally outward direction, which is applied against the under surfaces of the tragus and antitragus.

The outer clamping member 63 has the requisite width as to extend well over the lateral forward surfaces of the tragus and antitragus and is preferably molded to a convex-concave curvature, with the convexity being disposed inwardly or towards the inner clamping portion 60. Due to the springy nature of the material from which it is formed, the wing or side end portions 64, 65 of the outer clamping member, when flattened, tend to return to their unstressed curvature and, in so doing, they exert clamping pressure on the lateral forward surfaces of the tragus and antitragus portions against which they bear.

Said inner and outer clamping members 60, 63 are preferably integrally connected by a connecting portion 66 which may have round section. Due to the nature of the material from which the earring as a whole is fashioned, this connecting portion has a slight degree of stretch in axial direction. Thus, when an earring constructed as in the foregoing is properly mounted, i. e. with its inner clamping portion 60 inserted into the concha and with its outer clamping portion disposed to overlie the tragus and antitragus of the ear, it is firmly held by the aggregate of the action of the slightly deformed side wing portions 61, 62 of the inner clamping portion in exerting lateral pressure against the under surfaces of the tragus and antitragus, by the action of the wing or end portions 64, 65 of the outer clamping member 63 in tending to return to their unstressed state, and thereby exerting a degree of pressure against the outer surfaces of said ear parts, and by the inherent drawingtogether action of the connecting portion 66 extending between said inner and outer clamping members.

In the form of earring illustrated in Figs. 20 and 21, the outer clamping member 68, the inner clamping member 69 and a strip-like connecting portion 70 are formed integrally, preferably by being blanked from a sheet of suitable material having some inherent springiness, such as metal, plastic, etc. As illustrated, the inner clamping member 69 has appreciable lateral dimension, which is such as to enable it to extend beneaththe under surfaces of the tragus and antitragus and, as in all of the prior described forms, the outer member has the necessary lateral dimension as to enable it to extend over the front lateral surfaces of both said ear parts. It is a feature of the invention that the connecing portion 70 functions as a leaf spring tending, when the inner clamping member 69 is bent out of the plane of the outer clamping member 68, to bias it towards said plane. This leaf-spring action of the striplike connecting portion 70 causes the inner and outer clamping members to be drawn together and clamped to the tragus and antitragus of the car, as in the prior described forms. While the outer clamping member ,68 is shown to have generally triangular contour and a separate ornament portion 71 is indicated as being attached to said member, such is illustrative only since the outer clamping member 68 may have other forms and structural make-up, and/or'it may have the form and structure enabling it to itself serve as the ornament portion.

Considering the further modification illustrated in Figs. 2224, an ornament portion designated 74 itself illustratively provides the outer clamping member, and the inner clamping member generally designated 75 is connected thereby by means of a length of bendable wire 76 having some inherent springiness. As shown in Fig. 24, the connecting wire 76 is afiixed at its lower end to the lower end of the ornament portion 74 and extends upwardly therefrom in generally vertical direction and thence bends horizontally-rearwardly, its rear end connecting into and being affixed to a small-area backing plate 77 for the inner clamping member proper 75. Said inner clamping member preferably comprises a relatively Wide strip of flexible material having suflicient inherent springiness as to tend to return to its original unstressed position following flexing thereof and which carries a bushing 75c encircling the horizontally bent portion of the connecting wire 76. As best seen in Figs. 23, the ends or wings 75a, 75b of the inner clamping member proper extend a substantial distance laterally of the backing plate 77, whereby they may flex independently thereof. As in the prior described forms, the inner clamping member 75 has the necessary Width as to engage against the under surfaces of both the tragus and antitragus; the outer clamping member 74 has sufiicient lateral width as to engage on the forward lateral surfaces of said car parts; and said members are so connected that they are capable of applying clamping pressure on said ear parts when properly related thereto. In explanation, when the inner clamping member 75 is inserted into the concha and pushed downwardly to a position such that its lower edge rests on the concha floor, its end or wing portions 79, 80 are flexed and hence they exert some clamping pressure on the under surfaces of the tragus and antitragus. In addition, the inner and outer clamping members may be pinched together, as permitted by the bendable yet springy nature of the wire connector 76, so that said members clampingly receive the tragus and the antitragus, as with the prior described forms. It is a further feature of the present form that the horizontal bend portion of the wire connector 76, together with the bushing 75c, rest on the lower curved edge of the intertragic notch, which accordingly takes a portion of the weight of the ornament portion 74 constituting the outer clamping member.

Figs. 25 and 26 illustrate a variant of the Figs. 22-24 form of earring construction, characterized in that the inner clamping member 80 is formed of wire bent to the form of loops 80a, 80b disposed in a more or less upright plane and symmetrically to the side of the connecting wire 82. Said loops may be formed separate from said connecting wire or they may be formed integral therewith. In either case, the loops 80a, 80b function as the wings 75a, 75b of the Figs. 22-24 form; that is to say, they are adapted to engage against the under surfaces of the tragus and antitragus. Accordingly, upon proper adjustment of the spacing between the inner mem ber and the companion outer member 83 (which latter may constitute the ornament portion of the earring) as by pinching said members together, the earring is enabled to firmly yet comfortably attach itself to the tragus and the antitragus of the ear as previously described.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the.

above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intendedthat all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I' claim: I

1. An earring including an ornament portion and attaching means therefor comprising a pair of companion clamping members-constructed and arranged having lateral dimension as to be capable of receiving and clamping between them both the tragus and antitragus of the ear.

2. An earring including an ornament portion and attaching means therefor comprising a pair of clamping members laterally dimensioned and cooperatively related so as to clampingly receive and affix them-selves to both the tragus and antitragus of the ear, said attaching means being operative to dispose the ornament portion in bridging relation to the intertragic notch.

3. An earring including an ornament portion and attaching means therefor comprising an inner clamping member adapted to be inserted into the concha of the ear and having lateral dimension as to engage against the under surfaces of both the tragus and antitragus, an outer clamping member having corresponding lateral dimension and being adapted to engage against the front surfaces of both the tragus and antitragus, and means for actuating said members towards one another so as to effect clamping of the tragus and antitragus therebetween.

4. An earring as set forth in claim 3, wherein both said clamping members bridge the intertragic notch.

5. An earring including an ornament portion and attaching means therefor comprising an inner clamping member insertable into the concha of the ear and having lateral dimension such that it underlies both the tragus and the antitragus, an outer clamping member similarly dimensioned laterally so as to overlie the tragus and antitragus and to bridge the intertragic notch, and means interconnecting said members and being operative to draw them together whereby said members are adapted to clampingly receive and to aflix themselves to both said tragus and antitragus.

6. An earring as set forth in claim 5, wherein said last means comprises screw means.

7. An earring as set forth in claim 5, wherein said last means comprises elastic means.

8. An earring as set forth in claim 5, wherein said last means comprises spring means.

9. An earring as set forth in claim 5, wherein the interconnecting means is inherently resilient and is adapted through its resiliency to draw said clamping members together.

10. An earring as set forth in claim 5, wherein said outer clamping member constitutes the ornament portion.

11. An earring as set forth in claim 5, wherein said ornament portion is permanently affixed to said outer clamping member.

12. An earring as set forth in claim 5, wherein said ornament portion is detachably connected to said outer clamping member.

13. An earring as set forth in claim 5, wherein said ornament portion and said outer clamping member are connectible to and disconnectible from said interconnecting means as a unit.

14. An earring as set forth in claim 5. wherein said outer clamping member isv provided on its inner face with projections adapted to seat in depressions of the outer ear adjacent the tragus and antitragus.

'15. An earring as set forth in claim 5, wherein said inner member comprises a length of springy wire contoured to the lateral boundaries of the concha.

16. An earring com-prising an ornament portion and attaching means therefor comprising an inner clamping member insertable into the concha of the ear and having lateral dimension such that it underlies both the tragus and the antitragus, a companion outer clamping member similarly dimensioned laterally so as to overlie the tragus and the antitragus, and means interconnecting said members, at least one of said clamping members and said interconnecting means having inherent springiness sufficient to cause said clamping members to exert clamping pressure on opposite surfaces of both the tragus and the antitragus.

17. An earring as set forth in claim 16, wherein the interconnecting means is made of spring Wire providing References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 206,103 Gederen July 16, 1878 220,491 Niles Oct. 14, 1879 292,810 Hartmann Feb. 5, 1884 1,431,629 Butler Oct. 10, 1922 2,410,914 Williams Nov. 12, 1946 2,414,382 McCann Jan. 14, 1947 2,433,711 Schober et a1. Dec. 30, 1947 2,510,511 Mittendorf June 6, 1950 

